Improvement in razor-strops



J. LAMONT.

RAZOR-STRAP.

Patented Fe`b.15,1a7s.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OEEIQE JAMES LAMONT, oF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAzoR-sTRoPs'.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No 173,477, dated February15, 1876, application filed Jly 9, 1875.

To all. whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, UAMESLAMOn'r, of the city of Rochester, in the countyof Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Razor-Strops 5 and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the construction andoperation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the instru.

the old style of strop, in which the sharpening-` surfaces are ap'pliedon the four sides of a solid ,'Wooden block. But in all devices of theimproved kind with which Iam acquainted the endless strap is used alone;no hone is employed, such as is combined with the old-style four-sidedblock7 thus leaving the instrument incomplete. In all the improvedkinds, also, so far as I am aware, a simple rod-connection extendslongitudinally through between the sides of the strap, and its only useis to produce the necessary expansion of the leather.

It'is the object of my invention to combine with such a strop a hone, tomake the instrument more complete and perfect; and the in- .ventionconsists, essentially, in the construction of the wooden block to whichthe strap is attached, by which this result is accomplished.

. A represents the wooden block which forms" the stock. B is the endlessstrap, attached fast to the outer end,a, of the block, and 'connected atthe opposite end to a movable bearing, b, which forms a nut. 0 is thescrew,

resting loosely against a Stop, 0, and passingl through the bearingl),being secured at the outer end fast to an independent handle, d. Byturning the handle it will be seen that the strap will be strained-ortightened in condition for use.

The block A is of peculiar construction. The front end, or that next thehandle, has an opening, f, cut through vertically, to allow the passageof the strap. In the rear of this, both v 'its surface projects butlittle above the top of the block. By this means the square form of theinstrument is preserved, .enabling it to lit a square cover or case, andlalso these channels allow the vertical play of the strap under action,to obtain the proper elasticity in sharpening the razor. The innerend ofthe central part h forms the seat for the stop c, as before described.The two sides i i of the block, at right angles to the strap, are madesmooth and wide their whole extent, and are covered with emery ofdierent grades to form the hones. The inner end of the block has a head,7c, through which the screw passes loosely, and which forms the fulcrumfor the handle. By the means above described I combine with the strap Btwohone sides corresponding with` those used in the old-style solidstrop, thereby gaining all the advantages of a hone with astraining-strap, which, so far as I am aware, has never before beendone. addition to this, by means of the channels g g, 4 I combine thewhole in square form in crosssection, and provide seats for the strap torest in, with space beneath the strap for the vertical play ot' thesame, by which the latter preserves its elasticity under action. Thesechannels also retain the strap against lateral displacement, bycontining it between their sides. Heretoi'ore, so far as I am aware,only a rod .has run between the lengths of leather for the purpose ofstraining the same, and no provision has been made to retain the strapagainst the lateral action of drawing the razor across, and no hone hasbeen employed with -such a strap as in mydevice.

I apply on the inner side of each of the' lengths of the strap a thinstrip of wood, m, which is glued fast thereto, and extends trom end toend. ln gluing, the strip is compressed transversely, and the leather ist stretched over it, so that when in place it gives a convex surface incross-section to the leather on top, as shown in Fig. 5. It is also sobent as to give a swell or curve upward to the strap in the longitudinaldirection. In this form the strap'is in best condition for sharpeningthe razor, and dan ger of cnttin g the strap is diminished. Elm is thebest wood for this purpose, as it is perfectly pliable in itsapplication, und when once secured fast Vin place retains this curvedform without trouble. It is cheaper and more elastic than either ametallic or paper base, which have heretofore been used, and it alsogives more body than either of the latter, without increasing weight.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, an endlessstrap strained sides i o', opening f, and channels g g, in combinationwith the endless strap B, screw G, und handle d, as and for. the purposespecified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of'two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES LAMON T.

Witnesses:

R. F. OsGooD, E. B. SCOTT.

